“[Kids] don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are.”- Jim Henson
In the above design, I constructed a magazine cover to portray myself as teacher of the year. In order to do so, I presented myself as a bright, young educator who uses several interesting means of teaching to spark student interest. To start, I chose a picture of myself coaching my brother's travel baseball team as I felt that coaching is very similar to teaching in terms of providing instruction. I then proceeded to use teasers of activities that I will use in my class in order to spark interest. From civil war field trips, political debates, mock elections, and using cell phones or clickers in order to take surveys in class, I am attempting to use modern technology and use it in a form that students will enjoy.
My subtext allows the reader to infer that I am Teacher of the Year material. In addition to my use of technology in the classroom, I also chose the picture of my brother and I holding a tournament championship trophy so that the reader can understand that I have been a successful coach. This would allow the reader to draw the conclusion that since I am a successful coach, I will be a successful teacher.
The tools of persuasion that I use in the magazine cover are association and symbol. I use the championship trophy to symbolize the success that I have had in instructing baseball players over the past few years. Then, I use the persuasion tool of association by making the link between success in coaching and success in the classroom. Overall, my use of persuasion was not over the top and dramatic, but rather based upon my previous experiences.
Media literacy is important for 21st century learning as it allows students to understand what they are reading and what bias or slant the material contains. It also allows students to understand how to use search engines and other technology to the fullest extent, and to do so without getting deceived in the process. As Jane L. David states, "By integrating elements of digital media literacy into their instruction, teachers can influence how well students critically assess content, both online and offline" (David, 2009). Learning the core elements of digital media literacy even promotes traditional media literacy as the similarities are vast and the reader typically knows even more about a text than online articles. This is definitely a tool you should consider using in your class!
Reference List
David, J. L. (2009). What research says about … / teaching media literacy. Educational Leadership,66(6), 84-86. Retrieved from http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar09/vol66/num06/Teaching-Media-Literacy.aspx
I like the photo you chose for your magazine cover. It shows that you have confidence. You will also be able to connect to many viewers through mutual love of sports. I also like that your headlines talk about bringing technology into the classroom. This was very creative!
ReplyDeleteI really like that you mentioned a school trip & using cell phones in class. Kids would love that. Seems like you'd try to make learning more fun, great job.
ReplyDeleteI really like your magazine.. I like your creativity in doing mock elections in your classroom and taking field trips to see historical sites. I also like how your are using technology in your classroom by allowing students to use their cell phones to answer surveys.. Great Job!!
ReplyDeleteYour cover looks very realistic and your titles are clever. By posing with a trophy it represents the success you will bring to your classroom in my opinion.
ReplyDelete